Mail-box flag



' June 23, '1925.`

H. E. FENNER MAIL Box FLAG Filed Aug! '7., 1924 Patented June 23, 1925.

Be it known that I',"I*IAnn1n`T E. F ENNER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State ofIowa, have invented a certain new and useful Mail-Box Flag, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a mail box flag' structure ofsimple, Vinexpensive and durable construction adapted for use as anindicating device in districts where there is rural delivery of mail.

The further object jof my invention is to provide a fiag which can bepermanently, rigidly and properly mounted on the mail box, comprising apivoted or `hinged flag portion having a second flag hinged thereto forthe purposes hereinafter more fully set forth.

Vith these and other objects in View, my inventionconsists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of mymail box flag, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, asyhereinafter more fully set forth, pointed `out in my claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Y

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a mail box equipped withanindicating fiag embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the mail box, the flagAbeing indicated 'in full lines in its folded position.

Figure 3 is a detail view showing' the hinge structure of the flag' inside elevation; and i Figure 4 is a detailed frontvelevation of thehinge structure.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate `generally a post on which is mounted a mail box 11, which maybe of any suitable desired construction My improved flag comprises anupright bar 12 secured to the box 11 by` means of screw bolts or thelike 13, the bar 12 being' secured in an upright position on the side ofthe box.

The bar 12 may have at its lower end a liange 14 to extend under the boxto insure the more rigid mounting of the bar.

Connected with the upper end of the bar 12 by means of a hinge Afis theliagstaff 15. It should perhaps be mentionedv in this connectionthat'the bar 12, the flag staff` e'ldgnigu'si'lv, 1924. serial No.739,759

1 A and spring' 20.

possible are made'f'of 'galvanized' materialY or other material whichwill not corrode on account of exposure tothe weather.

The bar 12 and the stati 15 are connected together by a hinge Acomprising the jourv Vnal members 16 and the pintle 17 The bar 12 andstaff 15 are provided adjacent to each other with holes 18 and 19.

A coil spring 20 is arranged adjacent to one of the pintles and has itsends 21 and 22 inserted into the holes 18 and 19, so that the resiliencyof the spring tends to press the ends together.

Thus it will be seen that when the staff is upright, the spring' willhold it in upright position, whereas when the staff is swung laterallyoutwardly or downwardly, the ends of the spring will first. be sprungapart on account of the fact that the pintle 17 is not aligned with theholes 18 and 19, and as the staff swings farther down the upper springwill pass center, and when the staff drops to its position shown bydotted lines in Figure 3, the spring' will tend to hold the shaft in itslowered position.

The staff 15 has at its outer-or upper end a Hag 23, to be colored redas at 24 on the side toward the highway.

At the uppen end of the flag 23 is a short extension 25 to which ishinged a short staff 26 by a hinge and spring similar to the hinge Onthe staff 26 is another flag 27 which is colored orange on the sidewhichcan be seen from the residence of the boxowner.

The ags thus constructed can be used for indicating a series of facts.

The hinges are arranged so that the staff 15 folds toward the outsideand the staff 26 folds toward the inside with relation to the box.

When the Hag is lowered, no signal is intended at all. W'hen the flag 23is raised and the flag 27 'is lowered, t-he condition of the flagsindicates to the mailman thatvthe household has placed mail in the boxfor taking up and forwarding.

When the mailman drives past, he knows that he need not stop if theflags are down, but knows that he is to stop if the flag 23 is up. IVhen 'he puts mail inr thebox, he raises the flag 27, which indicates tothe household that a deliveryhas been made.

When the flags are down as shown in Fig side of the flag 23 is neXt ure2, the colored thus protected from the to the boX and weather. Y p

This flag is of sturdy construction, so that 6 it will not readily Wearout or become loose. lt affords a convenient and easy means forindicating the proper facts to the mail carrier and the householder.

I claim as my invention: 10 y The combinationV of a mailbox With a Hagstaff hingedly supported thereon to stand in upright position or toswing down to position alongside the mail box, a flag at the outer endofsaid sta, .a second Hag staff hingedly connected beyond the first flagto the sta thereof, a flag on lthe second staff, the hinges beingarranged to fold in opposite directions and to permit` the flags to bearranged one above the other or to be folded to positions side by side.

Des Moines, Iowa, July 25, 1924.V

HARRIET E. FENNER,

